40k Twilight Company: Pacification on Icarus IV
by Alan One
Summary: The first Twilight Company story: a short introduction to the deadly arm of the Comet Riders
1. Disclaimer

Disclaimer: Everything WH40k related, be it heretics, space marines, or such, is copyright Games Workshop. Kudos to them.

The Comet Riders, however, are MINE.


	2. Main story

The forest floor was a soft with rain, cold underfoot. Rains had fallen but a day before, turning soft dirt into sticky mud in a few hours time. As their boots fell deep into the stuff with each step. Cold seeped through the fibers of their boots – a reminder of their condition and hopelessness. Dameus had to be left behind – his left foot slain by the cruel hand of frostbite. The majority of the solemn, seventeen-man platoon who marched through the dense foliage were sore for the loss of their comrade, yet another question burned in their minds, affronting the dying memory of their comrade.

But seven days ago, word had spread amongst the Planetary Defense Force on Icarus IV like wildfire. One of the commanders of a platoon, Cmsr. Aegaeon of Sigma Platoon, had not only commited the heinous act of heresy against the Emperor but had also turned the entirety of his twenty-man platoon to Slaneesh, the dark god of Lust, promising them eternal enjoyment if they could escape the planet.

The fighting that had taken place on Icarus IV a single year ago, it seems, has taken it's toll on the morale of her warriors.

Unfortunately for the rogue Commissar, the mysterious Comet Riders had docked one of their strike cruisers for refueling on the planet a week prior to his desertion, and had volunteered his apprehension the moment word arrived of his betrayal.

A single day after their heresy, a message ran across a secure line to the Governor of Icarus IV. Commissar Aegaeon and his most trusted Lieutenant, Lt. Darius, had been killed in an ambush – leaving what was left of the platoon in disarray. Even further, they had escaped into one of the dense forests of Icarus IV – effectively halting PDF search-parties in their tracks. The forests were no-mans-land: an impossible maze of flora that has proved nearly impossible to conquer. However, the zealous Comet Riders volunteered a search, promising the heads of the remaining 18 men that had deserted the Emperor.

That was but a day ago.

What remained of Sigma Platoon pondered their decisions as they trudged through the sloppy grime of the Zone 32 Forest. The rains had begun again, bringing with them a cold and bitter wind and chill that sent men shying under the protective umbra of the tall trees as the drops struck their armor with a staccato of sharp raps. Sitting under a particularly tall tree, bunched tight to keep warm, were three men. Pvt. Gareus, Cpl. Lithias, and Pvt. Edacin; three close comrades.

All around this trio there came an idle rumble: prayers to foreign gods, and the general quiet roar of discussion. There was nothing to do in such weather but pass time. Some kept audio logs on datapads, faithfully forming words of hope and promise within their metal frames. Others simply slept, calmed by the gentle clatter of the rain. This particular trio sat still, their teeth chattering with spasms brought upon by the cold, staring at the ground.

"Why did we do it?" Asked young Edacin suddenly, his eyes widening with sudden fear and remorse, "What if… what if we aren't favored by… him?"

His voice was gentle – untainted and young. Full of hope, one could surmise. He removed his helmet, idly scratching his scalp through short brown hair. Gareus looked over at him. His face was full of worry and sorrow – perfectly acceptable emotions in such a time. Reaching over with what little energy the cold hadn't stole from him, Gareus put his hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay," Ran his voice, rapid and chattering with chills, "Everything'll be alright, 'kay?"

Lithias snorted, disgust obvious in the tone. "Eegh. Stop crying. You made the choice, and you're going to go through with it. Besides, we'll be out of this forest and into eternal enjoyment in no time." Came a rough, heartless tone from a scarred visage, sending the squeamish Edacin leaning away from the grizzled veteran.

"I just can't help to think," He began after looking ground-ward, "That we made a mistake. I mean, we've followed the Emperor -- he's done everything for us. Is it right to just… abandon his love?"

Gareus turned his gaze downward too, sighing softly. He knew the answer, though he had not heart to say it. It would seem that Lithias possessed no will to reply, either.

And so the trio sat, silent as the day passed.

The rains did not cease until night fell. Skies, gray with clouds, slowly turned black with night. Sensing the need for warmth, few had set out and had gathered what dry wood they could find and spawned small fires all over, at most three people sitting around them at a time. It was pitiful. Many shivered with the cold, suffering without sound.

All around them, the sounds of the forest were shrill and infrequently heard. The heretics had once more committed to conversing with each other with a joyful banter that quietly echoed throughout the forest. The three were still resting against the tree, a warm fire giving them a welcome guest. They, too, were happily talking amongst one another, sharing stories and tales.

"They say…" Began Lithias, standing affront the two, arms spread ominously, "… that there are these Astartes few have seen before. _Deadly_ night fighters. Some say that entire companies have fallen to them before a single one noticed!"

Mockingly, he crept towards Edacin, rambling all the while, "They come at night and they wait. Before you know it… _Bam!_ You're shredded by a wave of bolter shells!"

Edacin sighed with remorse. "Dammit, Lithias, you're going to make me paranoid. I shouldn't have let you speak."

His antagonist laughed heartily. "Why? Are you afraid off… them?" Lithias mused, throwing back his torso in laughter.

"Shut up!" Returned Edacin, giving a weak kick to the Lithias' shins, to which he bounded backwards like a fool.

"Ohohoho! I've scared the little baby, now have I?" He chuckled.

Gareus rolled his eyes. "I swear, it's a miracle you two haven't driven me to—" Gareus stopped, his eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"I think I felt a raindrop." He said worriedly, casting a gaze skyward and blinking as a drop of water landed on his nose.

The rains came quick, sending Lithias cursing and sprawling for cover. Sounds of anger and disgust rose from all around them as guardsmen stood and ran for the trees, desperate for sanctuary from the wet rains.

Gareus heard a wet thud, and Lithias cursed. "Dammit! I swear to my god-"

A muffled explosion reverberated off the trees, a quiet crash like thunder. Gareus felt something wet and chunky splatter all over his face and body, and judging from the scream that Edacin emitted, he had been sprayed too.

Until the sounds of anguish and death throes erupted from all around them, Gareus couldn't tell that what was now dripping from his frame was formerly Lithias' head.

"Get down!" Gareus cried, reaching over to where he thought Edacin was and pushing hard. His hand hit purchase, and a dull thud sounded next to him as the cold moisture of mud filled his unarmored belly.

Looking back and forth frantically, he pulled his lasgun from his shoulder, searching for the telltale flash of munitions expenditure. In the obscured light of the moon, Gareus could barely make out the shapes of his comrades, watching in horror as their bodies simply exploded, torn apart by an invisible force.

"By the Emperor, stay quiet and stay down." He whispered to the whimpering Edacin, who now lie parallel to him, taking comfort in crying softly while the piercing screeches of his dying brothers masked the sound.

The storm had begun.

Slowly and awkwardly, Pvt Garus sat upright, shifting the weight of the corpse from his chest. The rain had stopped ten minutes ago, yet the two had remained too shaken to stand. By his estimates, six hours had passed, the long planetary nights keeping them awake, and miserable for what seemed an eternity.

Clicking on a small device he removed from his armor, he swept his illuminator left and right with a quick, jerking motion The light bounced and danced off of the wet foilage, shaking softly with the involuntary spasms of his hand. Whether or not it came of fear or the cold, he could not tell.

Where the hell had they fired from?

He tried best not to sweep the illumatior across the ground -- he did not think he could stomach what had become of his comrades. Gareus knew very well what bolter shells did to bodies, especially when more than one penetrated the flimsy body-armor of the Imperial Guard. He also knew what would happen when the light would pass over the mangled bodies of his former comrades and--

Suddenly, Gareus vomited forth, disgusted and set over the edge of what he could take by the very thought.

The wet feeling of his liquefied lunch washed over his lower half before he groaned in simultaneous disgust and pain at his sudden upheaval. Sweeping what he could off his legs, Gareus patiently listened, coping with the fact that the assailants would have heard the commotion had they remained. Waiting a few seconds, he stood painfully, sore from the indeterminable hours of remaining perfectly still. "It's safe." Called Gareus, "You, too can stand."

"Though," he continued as Edacin, too brought himself to his feet with a gentle rustling, "You may still want to be silent. They may come back. As Lithias said, they can pinpoint you by sound. Perhaps if we're lucky, we can escape them without alerting them."

Without warning, a massive eruption of sound and feeling exploded from all around Gareus, sending him reeling in fright and confusion. Something heavy splattered into the mud underfoot, splashing a miniscule amount of grime on the two survivors.

"Edacin! This isn't the time for jokes!" Gareus hissed, angrily swiging his lasgun over the shoulder.

"I... It wasn't I... Gareus." Fluttered his comrade's voice, shaken.

Whether it quailed by the cold or fear, Gareus couldn't tell.

Swallowing up his disgust, he swept the illumator over the ground where the object had crashed. Sticking out of the mud, perfectly erect in the brilliant light of the illuminator, was a metal object, curved in shape and resembling a rectangular construction. Bending over, Gareth scooped it from the ground, examining it carefully under the light as Edacin inched close, curious, too at the appearance of this odd relic.

The realization hit the duo at the same as Gareus' eyes widened and Edacin gasped loudly, stepping back in overwhelming fright. "Gar-Gareus! It's a.. It's a...!" He started, his voice shaking in renewed fear. "It's a bolter magazine..." Gareus echoed, dropping it to the ground and swiftly turning around.

The light swept over a trio of colossi, spattered in mud and blood, covered in foilage and battle-scarred metal, made slick and shiny by the rain. They stood, watching the puny beings with green eyes and emotionless faces, silent. It was after a short pause did one finally boom at the traitors in a hollow voice, "It wouldn't matter if you're quiet. We would have found you anyways."

Scared out of their wits, the two turned heel and began to run only to torn asunder by a hailstorm of shells, their mangled bodies falling to the ground amongst the vanquished.

A data pad was leisurely placed before the planetary governor, the metal sliding across the elegant desk for a short distance before stopping in front of the graying old man. Looking up from his writings, he smiled, waiving off his servant and clicking on the pad.

The Imperial insignia flashed for a second before displaying a short message in glowing green lettering:

"Agarion,

Sigma platoon terminated at 2647. Thirty bodies counted. We have left by now.

Regards, Captain Feria Glot'ir, Comet Riders

Twilight Company"


End file.
